Seeds of Rebellion

By: Brandon Mull

Narrated by: Jeremy Bobb

Length: 15 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's Summary

The second epic installment of Brandon Mull’s #1 New York Times bestselling fantasy series!After the cliffhanger ending of A World Without Heroes, Jason is back in the world he’s always known - yet for all his efforts to get home, he finds himself itching to return to Lyrian. Jason knows that the shocking truth he learned from Maldor is precious information that all of his friends in Lyrian, including Rachel, need if they have any hope of surviving and defeating the evil emperor.

Meanwhile, Rachel and the others have discovered new enemies - as well as new abilities that could turn the tide of the entire quest. And as soon as Jason succeeds in crossing over to Lyrian, he’s in more danger than ever. Once the group reunites, they strive to convince their most-needed ally to join the war and form a rebellion strong enough to triumph over Maldor. At the center of it all, Jason and Rachel realize what roles they’re meant to play - and the answers are as surprising as they are gripping.

©2012 Brandon Mull (P)2012 Simon & Schuster Audio

Part 2 - doesn't stand alone

This one book broken into three parts... so if you purchase the first you will need to purchase the next two to complete the story. I listened to the beginning a few times without getting hooked (a little too YA)... but when I finally got into it... found it an enjoyable world he had created, with interesting rules and peoples. It is written for YA and because of the extensive violence during wars and battles it would not be a good read for younger children. The last book is darker than the end of Harry Potter series. Many of the main characters die in some pretty icky ways in the overcoming of evil. Although the plot had a predictable ending, getting there had some interesting turns and twists along the way. I agree the narrator improves with each book, but wasn't bad with the first. If you are purchasing this one, you have already read the first and this is very similar, although a bit slower as Jason returns and they work to unite people into fighting the emperor.

Solid sequel

3.5 stars
Originally posted at FanLit:

In the second BEYONDERS book, Seeds of Rebellion, Jason has made it back to his own world after attempting to destroy the emperor Maldor in Lyrian, the parallel universe he accidentally stumbled into after being swallowed by a hippopotamus at the zoo. Jason is unhappy at home because Rachel is still stuck in Lyrian and being hunted by the bad guys. After doing some research on the internet, he discovers that Rachel’s parents are desperately trying to find her, but Jason feels like he can’t contact them or he’ll be a suspect in the crime. He’s afraid to tell anyone about Lyrian — people will just think he’s crazy and he might be institutionalized. That would make it impossible for him to do what he really wants to do — go back to Lyrian, let everyone know that the quest they were on is doomed, and tell Rachel how to get back to her parents. Meanwhile, he spends plenty of time exercising so that when he does get back, he’ll be fit enough to face all the trials he knows are coming.

Eventually Jason does manage to return to Lyrian with the important news. Then he and Rachel help to muster up a small force that is willing to risk rebelling against the emperor. There’s only a slight chance that they can succeed, but they have to take that chance. There’s no way that Maldor is going to let Jason and Rachel get back home, and the people of Lyrian have lived too long under a tyrant’s rule.

This time Jason meets some more of the weird mage-crafted races of Lyrian including a race of dwarves who turn into giants when the sun goes down. He explores secret tunnels, hears prophecies, loses his first sword fight, collects explosives, learns a lot about the history of Lyrian, eats some magic mushrooms, meets a beautiful princess, fights zombies, grows moss on his neck, and travels some harsh exotic terrain. Meanwhile, Rachel is beginning to acquire some magical talents of her own.

I mentioned in my review of the first BEYONDERS book, A World Without Heroes, that I appreciated Brandon Mull’s subtle messages for children. He again does a good job with this, showing us, for example, the consequences of addiction; the necessity of being wary of someone who you know has betrayed others and being careful about who you can trust; the benefits of working as a team and being reliable when it comes to doing your part.

I particularly like how Mull’s child heroes aren’t doing everything themselves. They’re working as small but significant parts of a team that is mostly adults. They ask smart questions, anticipate future problems, and contribute meaningfully while respecting the skills and wisdom of their adult companions.

Some of the plot of Seeds of Rebellion drags (there’s a lot of travelling) but young readers who enjoy spending time with Jason and Rachel probably won’t notice and will be anxious to move on to book 3, Chasing the Prophecy. This is a solid addition to the BEYONDERS series. I recommend the audio version narrated by Jeremy Bobb.

Good!

This book has a little bit of everything, from a good plot to a little bit of romance, with plenty of adventure. I would recommend any of Brandon Mill's books. My only complaint is that the book was little bit violent. If you don't mind violence in books, you should definitely read this book.

Best series ever

please make another series with all these characters. you are the best author ever and I love your books

Great Series!

This was as good as the first. You will find yourself drawn deeper into this world. The only down side is now I have to wait for the next book to come out.

Amazing job!

Great narration and great storyline. Jeremy Bobb distinguished every accent for each character, and the book in general was very well written; filled with action suspense, tragedy, and humor. Can't wait to listen to the next one.

love love love

I loved this book, Brandon mull is such a fantastic writer. Such imagination, and creativity. Kept me engaged and eager to continue listening.

one of my favorite trilogies

I love the creative world the author has made. I recommend this book to everyone who likes fantasy

fun story

Each of my kids are asking to listen to this fun story. I am enjoying watching the characters develop.

amazing story tellong!

page after page you learn more and more about our characters in this dark world.